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California budget critics turn up pressure on lawmakers
Sacramento Bee ^ | 2/13/9 | Jim Sanders

Posted on 02/13/2009 7:51:08 AM PST by SmithL

"This is war!" declares a powerful Los Angeles radio station.

The California Republican Party is threatening to censure its own legislators.

A kill-the-budget-deal labor rally is planned at the Capitol today.

Pressure mounts as lawmakers brace for a tense vote scheduled Saturday on a bitterly contested proposal to ease the state's $40 billion budget shortfall.

"I think you go into it knowing that your political career is on the line," said Assemblyman Ted Gaines, a Roseville Republican who vows not to violate a no-new-taxes pledge he signed.

Hundreds of calls and e-mails flooded the Capitol on Thursday from friends and foes of the tentative plan to ease the state's fiscal mess through $15.8 billion in spending cuts, $14.3 billion in taxes and $10.9 billion in borrowing.

Both Republicans and Democrats were caught in the crossfire.

GOP conservatives were incensed at the notion of a colleague supporting tax hikes, while labor and environmental groups were mad at what they consider Democratic concessions.

"If we're going to win elections in 2010, we have to say that we're the other party – that we're going to stop tax increases," said Jon Fleischman, a conservative blogger and a vice chairman in the state Republican Party.

Jeanine Meyer Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the state council of Service Employees International Union, representing 750,000 workers statewide, was upset by spending restraints and billions in budget cuts in the proposal.

"We're making it clear to all the legislators that if they vote for this, they're not representing our members," she said.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: budget; calbudget; goldenstate; taxandspend; yourtaxdollarsatwork

1 posted on 02/13/2009 7:51:09 AM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL
It needs to be killed. It promises a "maybe" spending cap in the future in exchange for more of the same, bloated big government that is the reason California is today in fiscal straits.

NO THANKS!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

2 posted on 02/13/2009 7:53:35 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

As we have seen before, you can’t trust Democrats on spending. If this is passed, and the budget somehow gets balanced, the Democrats will explode the budget at the first opportunity and come back for more in taxes. They never change. It’s one constant repeat of Charlie Brown and the football.


3 posted on 02/13/2009 7:57:14 AM PST by Enterprise (A Representative Republic - gone now. Foolish people.)
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To: goldstategop
There will never be a spending cap and those “temporary” taxes will never go away.
4 posted on 02/13/2009 7:58:29 AM PST by BenLurkin (Mornie` utulie`. Mornie` alantie`.)
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To: BenLurkin
Agreed. The spending cap will evaporate and the tax increases will be permanent. If the CAGOP wants to go the way of the Whigs all it has to do is vote for a phony budget deal that doesn't put California government on a diet and actually shrink it! A party that is not committed to standing up for its principles deserves to be political roadkill.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

5 posted on 02/13/2009 8:01:39 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: SmithL

All the Rubs need to be called & their feet held to the fire. Call the Dems too. Tell them the union bosses can not rob us and that these tax increases will kill off our state.

The size of California government DOUBLED in the last decade. That is INSANE. They must be stopped. Slash, Cut, Burn. No more taxes, No more fee increases, No more Bullsheet!!!


6 posted on 02/13/2009 8:07:19 AM PST by Feiny (The Grammer and Spelling police are watching you Idots!!!)
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To: SmithL

You forgot to mention these lunatics are selling the budget proposal as a tax break for big business...... this is so California... in a dishonest tax n spend way. Although it’s true ONLY BIG BUSINESSES will get the tax cuts so unemployment doesn’t go over 20%!!!, but small businesses like mine continue to get REAMED!!!


7 posted on 02/13/2009 8:08:28 AM PST by PEACE ENFORCER (One Needs to Have the Capability of Using Deadly Force at Any Moment.....:))
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To: goldstategop

The only possible way to cut the CA budget is to cut out the freebies for illegals. Something that Rats will never do because hispanic votes are essential to the Rat power base. The GOP needs to stand up to the point that the state goes formally broke..then maybe..maybe..enough voters will abandon the Rats to give the GOP the votes to force the illegals out via job sanctions etc.
Tax increases will increase the corp and citizen tax refugees..


8 posted on 02/13/2009 8:08:45 AM PST by Oldexpat (Drill Here, Drill There..we must drill everywhere.)
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From SEIU, the backers of Obama election in a rally. I heard yesterday on the radio that SEIU threatened California legislature that anyone who voted against their budget requests will be recalled. They are in charge now because they have Obama on their side.

http://www.seiu.org/mt/mt-search.cgi?blog_id=1&tag=budget%20crisis&limit=20

Finally let me remind the governor and legislators that change has come to America and whether they like it or not change is coming to California as well. Can we do it?

9 posted on 02/13/2009 8:26:22 AM PST by OafOfOffice
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To: SmithL

“Hundreds of calls and emails...” Bull. I’d like a dollar for every call made and email sent! And the vast majority will of course be ignored.


10 posted on 02/13/2009 8:40:48 AM PST by Oldpuppymax (AGENDA OF THE LEFT EXPOSED)
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To: SmithL

Why do we even have a Republican party if they won’t stand up to the socialists and communists in the majority?

They should just close up shop and disband.


11 posted on 02/13/2009 8:45:10 AM PST by Deo volente (High Noon, January 20, 2009: Our long national nightmare begins.)
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To: Feiny
"No more Bullsheet!!!"

Did you mean Boolsheet???

12 posted on 02/13/2009 9:35:08 AM PST by SierraWasp (Remember THIS!!! Government doesn't have ANY money!!! (of it's own) I'm in contempt of CONgress!!!)
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To: SmithL

I’ve got business to finish up in this state, and then I’m outta here.


13 posted on 02/13/2009 10:50:05 AM PST by happygrl (BORG: Barack 0bama Resistance Group: we will not be assimilated)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; justiceseeker93; ..

This is, alas, the best budget deal they’ll be able to manage. If it fails, whatever replaces it will be worse.


14 posted on 02/13/2009 7:15:13 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/____________________ Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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